Forced into child labour
Jul 02, 2011
A businessman in downtown Kampala told the Police that one night, he saw Ronald Sekitoleko vending maize at about 10:00pm with tears in his eyes.
By Gladys Kalibbala
A businessman in downtown Kampala told the Police that one night, he saw Ronald Sekitoleko vending maize at about 10:00pm with tears in his eyes.
That evening, he bought all the maize that Sekitoleko had, at sh5,000. After the sale, the 10-year-old headed back home to Kalerwe, a city suburb.
When he came across Sekitoleko again, a week after, the businessman instead took him to Central Police Station (CPS) in Kampala.
The boy told the Police that he lives with his uncle in Kalerwe. He said his aunt vends boiled maize. According to Sekitoleko, his aunt gives him a basketful of maize to vend every evening.
“I am expected to return after selling all the maize,†he said.
The P.2 dropout usually gets home at about 10:30pm. If he does not sell all the maize, he is punished.
Sekitoleko dropped out of school due to lack of fees. His mother abandoned him at his father, Mossy’s home when Sekitoleko was still a toddler. Mossy is a mechanic in Bwaise.
Sekitoleko wants a Good Samaritan to take him back to school. He can be reached on 0711042338.
Dad abandons sons
After eviction from a rented house, Eric Isabirye Mugweri and Derrick Waiswa’s father abandoned them. The two boys say before the eviction, their father, Ali Kizza, a market vendor, had separated from their mother. Isabirye and Waiswa are currently at the Jinja Road Police Station after a Good Samaritan picked them from Kinawataka, a city suburb.
From DRC to Kampala, seeking mom
He did not know her name, but came to Kampala to look for his mother. Erias Bahati’s hope when he boarded a bus from DR Congo was that he would be able to identify his mother from the people on the city streets.
After spending a night in the cold, Bahati was rescued by a Good Samaritan and handed over to the Old Kampala Police Station.
Nabulo bounced at Park
Annet Nabulo, 16, is stranded at the CPS in Kampala. She told the Police that a relative called Masaba asked her to come to Kampala for school fees.
However, when she got to the bus park, his phone had been switched off. Nabulo is an S.1 student of Bulucheke SS in Bududa district.
Her father, Zarubabel Wanjusi, lives in Bunamuli village, Bududa district.
She left home hoping to return to school, ended up as a maid
When she was handed over to a lady, who came to their home in Nazigo, Kayunga district, Sharon Ezaruku thought she was being taken to a school in Kampala.
However, to her shock, the 13-year-old instead became a babysitter in Nsambya.
Two weeks of babysitting were enough for her to throw in the towel. Ezaruku hence demanded to return to her mother, Teddy Oziti of Nazigo.
The woman, instead, threw her out of her home. A Good Samaritan took her to the CPS for assistance.
Ezaruku dropped out of school in P2 because her mother could not afford her fees. She now seeks to return to her mother
Sonko lost way in Bwaise
Kenneth Sonko is stranded at the Kawempe Police Station. The 10-year-old lost his way in Bwaise as he looked for his father. He says his mother abandoned him when he was younger. He has been living with his grandmother in Kagoma, a city suburb.
He was looking for employment
Tom Wanyama, 14, left home in Kayunga to look for casual work in Kampala. A few weeks later, after failing to get a job, a Good Samaritan took him to the CPS in Kampala. He said he has been living in Kayunga with his grandmother, Anna.
A businessman in downtown Kampala told the Police that one night, he saw Ronald Sekitoleko vending maize at about 10:00pm with tears in his eyes.
That evening, he bought all the maize that Sekitoleko had, at sh5,000. After the sale, the 10-year-old headed back home to Kalerwe, a city suburb.
When he came across Sekitoleko again, a week after, the businessman instead took him to Central Police Station (CPS) in Kampala.
The boy told the Police that he lives with his uncle in Kalerwe. He said his aunt vends boiled maize. According to Sekitoleko, his aunt gives him a basketful of maize to vend every evening.
“I am expected to return after selling all the maize,†he said.
The P.2 dropout usually gets home at about 10:30pm. If he does not sell all the maize, he is punished.
Sekitoleko dropped out of school due to lack of fees. His mother abandoned him at his father, Mossy’s home when Sekitoleko was still a toddler. Mossy is a mechanic in Bwaise.
Sekitoleko wants a Good Samaritan to take him back to school. He can be reached on 0711042338.
Dad abandons sons
After eviction from a rented house, Eric Isabirye Mugweri and Derrick Waiswa’s father abandoned them. The two boys say before the eviction, their father, Ali Kizza, a market vendor, had separated from their mother. Isabirye and Waiswa are currently at the Jinja Road Police Station after a Good Samaritan picked them from Kinawataka, a city suburb.
From DRC to Kampala, seeking mom
He did not know her name, but came to Kampala to look for his mother. Erias Bahati’s hope when he boarded a bus from DR Congo was that he would be able to identify his mother from the people on the city streets.
After spending a night in the cold, Bahati was rescued by a Good Samaritan and handed over to the Old Kampala Police Station.
Nabulo bounced at Park
Annet Nabulo, 16, is stranded at the CPS in Kampala. She told the Police that a relative called Masaba asked her to come to Kampala for school fees.
However, when she got to the bus park, his phone had been switched off. Nabulo is an S.1 student of Bulucheke SS in Bududa district.
Her father, Zarubabel Wanjusi, lives in Bunamuli village, Bududa district.
She left home hoping to return to school, ended up as a maid
When she was handed over to a lady, who came to their home in Nazigo, Kayunga district, Sharon Ezaruku thought she was being taken to a school in Kampala.
However, to her shock, the 13-year-old instead became a babysitter in Nsambya.
Two weeks of babysitting were enough for her to throw in the towel. Ezaruku hence demanded to return to her mother, Teddy Oziti of Nazigo.
The woman, instead, threw her out of her home. A Good Samaritan took her to the CPS for assistance.
Ezaruku dropped out of school in P2 because her mother could not afford her fees. She now seeks to return to her mother
Sonko lost way in Bwaise
Kenneth Sonko is stranded at the Kawempe Police Station. The 10-year-old lost his way in Bwaise as he looked for his father. He says his mother abandoned him when he was younger. He has been living with his grandmother in Kagoma, a city suburb.
He was looking for employment
Tom Wanyama, 14, left home in Kayunga to look for casual work in Kampala. A few weeks later, after failing to get a job, a Good Samaritan took him to the CPS in Kampala. He said he has been living in Kayunga with his grandmother, Anna.